Elixer of Life
by Leonaria Dragonbane
Summary: Van Helsing, Mephostopheles, The Elixer of Life, and an archeologist not at all what you think. I don't own Gabriel. Please Please Please Review heck even flames welcome. I could use them to warm my house Rated T for lang, content.
1. Earth

Summary: Van Helsing, Mephostopheles, The Elixir of Life, and an archeologist; not at all what you think. The Temple of Aphrodite does not exist as depicted in this story but I am basing the Cult of Dona and Aphrodite on the area around Dodona, Greece, where Dona was worshiped along with Zeus and was reputed to be the mother of Aphrodite. The Dona or Doni figures have been found all along the Mediterranean Sea and up into Europe. The most famous is the Venus of Willendorf. I don't own Van Helsing, but boy do I wish I did, the others all live in my head unfortunately.

Drip. Drip. Drip…drip.

The pounding in the back of her head seemed louder with every drop of water. The room was dark. Her hands were held up over her head by cold, heavy shackles. Her back was to a damp wall, the moisture seeping into the thin T-shirt and shorts she had been wearing while hiking in the hills. Every once in a while she would hear voices in the distance, but her mouth was dry from dehydration and she could only whisper for help. She didn't even know if her eyes were open or closed, the world looked the same either way. Her head rolled forward as she passed out again.

She heard the sound of the door opening, her eyes hurt from the bright light streaming into the dark, circular room she was in. The door closed, but the man who entered seemed to produce his own light. He walked across the room and stood in front of her.

"Well we can't have you dying on us. We need you alive." He held up a ladle from a bucket he was carrying. "It is water, you can drink it. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead." He took a sip from the ladle and offered her the opposite side. She sipped, tentatively, tasting for anything that seemed unusual. It tasted like water, so she took a little more.

"Who are you?" she asked her voice raspy from the damp and lack of use.

"That isn't your concern." He said as he checked her wrists for deep cuts, and stepped back. "You will live until we no longer need you. That is all you need to know."

He held the ladle up one more time, and she took more to drink. Her head rolled forward as he walked across the room. She winced as the door opened and bright light once again flooded her prison. The door slammed shut, and the sound of the lock grinding into place accompanied her into unconsciousness.

He looked at the mouth of the cave, his heavy leather coat collecting the morning dew. He had been here since midnight, hoping for a sign that this was the right spot. He could feel the evil emanating from the cave, but had seen no sign of his foe.

He was alone again. After the Dracula incident, the Order had decided that he and Carl had made a good team, and they had worked together until Carl's death last year. After all of his adventures, Carl had died quietly, in his bed, surrounded by those who had loved him, his family and friends. Gabriel had been hunting a witch in England at the time. He hadn't even made it for Carl's interment; but he had visited his grave on the way to Greece.

Gabriel watched as a man slipped quietly out of the mouth of the cave and began to gather the morning dew. He carefully used his gloved hands to push dewdrops off of the leaves and poured it from the petals of flowers that grew near the mouth of the cave. He only gathered the dew from those plants; he worked until he filled a small bottle, and looking around to see if anyone was watching, slipped back into the cave.

"What are you up to, Meph?" Gabriel asked the air. He shifted a bit, his trusty crossbow digging into his side. Carl had modified it a few years ago to shoot a special bolt with a holy water canister inside that burst when it hit. It made a good defense against demons, and it was demons he was hunting this time. One in particular; Satan's deal maker, Mephistopheles, had been causing problems in the hills of Greece. The Order sent him to find out what Meph was up to, and stop him.

Gabriel started as he heard rocks tumbling down the path. Below him a man cursed in English. A few seconds later, he appeared. He was dressed in an expensive Italian cotton suit, carrying a briefcase. Before he entered the cave, the man paused, looked at his watch, looked back over his shoulder, pulled a flashlight out of his pocket and started into the cave.

Gabriel slipped down from his hiding place, and followed the man into the cave. He paused a few feet into the cave to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness, and then followed the beam of the light. He moved quietly, his long coat held close to his body, his leather hat pulled low on his face, his boots leaving hardly a print in the dust on the ground. As he moved through the cave he noticed that the rough wall at his back gave way to carved stone. Columns lined the corridor, the beam of the light highlighting them. Between the columns, friezes and statues of ancient gods looked on. Suddenly the light turned.

Gabriel rushed to where the light disappeared, to find it gone entirely. He looked down the new corridor to see light coming from the end of the tunnel and the sound of men's voices drifting up to him. He slipped slowly toward the light, noticing in passing that the walls had changed again to a rougher stone with hand carvings of strange female figures, rotund bellies, large breasts and hips with no face or feet.

"…lab. Ancient rites and rituals have no purpose in modern pharmaceutical production." Gabriel stopped to listen.

"If the ritual works, and you get a working amount of the elixir to analyze, does it matter how we got the elixir." A voce Gabriel recognized from his long forgotten past, Mephistopheles.

"The deal was for a workable dose of the elixir plus test subjects. This could be the cure for all the sexual dysfunctional disorders in the world, and I want to cash in on it." The man said, angrily.

"Not to mention the illegal sales on the street." Meph's smooth voice interjected.

"That is not my concern." The man stated.

"Well, one of your test subjects is cooling her heels in a cell, and unless my ears deceive me, the other one is listening right now." Mephistopheles moved like lightning and Gabriel found himself pressed against the wall with the demon's arm across his throat.

"Hello, Gabriel." Meph's jovial rosy face belied the strength of the arm cutting off the air to his lungs. "It has been too long."

Gabriel brought his knee up into Meph's chest to push him off balance, but the demon wouldn't budge.

"So human of you. I expected you to beat me with your wings, or do you still have them?" A grin split his face. "I forgot. You are one of us now. Cast out, but still you do his dirty work."

Gabriel grabbed one of Carl's bolts and shoved it into Meph's chest. Meph backed up in agony as the holy water chamber burst and seared his flesh. Gabriel collapsed on the floor, coughing as he drew air into his lungs. Two more demons came out of the darkness and grabbed his arms.

"Take him to a cell, and make sure he is secure. I am looking forward to his reactions to the elixir." The two lesser demons dragged him down another corridor, with more of the ancient female figures lining the walls. Behind him he heard chanting in joined male and female voices praising Dona and Aphrodite. "He has to be alive and functional, other than that, have fun." drifted down the corridor from Meph.

Drip….drip….drip….CLANG!

She started awake. The locks on the cell door were opening. She opened her eyes slowly against the glare of the light from outside. Framed by the door was an ominous black figure in a long coat or cloak with a dark hat pulled down over its face, its arms outstretched, and in the glare it looked as if white wings spread out behind it. Suddenly it was catapulted into the cell, landing face first on the floor, and two red figures, somehow exuding a pulsing red light from them, entered the room. They lifted the figure from the floor and shackled him to a wall near where she hung. The red figures placed a torch in a holder across the room from where they were confined and left, cackling. The door slammed shut and the locks ground into place.

She looked at the figure hanging suspended by it's wrists from the wall. Long black hair hung in loose curls, obscuring its face. It wore a long leather coat, leather boots she could see the toes from under the coat. Blood dripped down onto the floor from somewhere under the coat and began to pool from the tip of its left boot. Suddenly it moaned and lifted its head.

Even cut and bruised, his face was beautiful. Sculpted, chiseled, features reminded her of the Zeus statue she had found just last week, was it last week? She didn't have any idea of how long she had been here. His golden brown eyes opened and focused on her.

"Who are you?" He demanded, glaring at her through his hair.

"Who the hell are you?" She croaked out.

"I don't have time for this." He said as he started straining at the shackles that held him to the wall. As his body arched forward in his struggles the coat opened and she saw four long gashes across his chest, the blood ran from them and down his left pants leg.

"If you don't stop you are going to bleed to death." She said.

"No I am not." He replied, and somehow one of the shackles came loose from the wall. She stared amazed as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a set of lock picks and started working on the other one. "Now if you want to get out of here, who are you?"

"Dr. Christine Demolay, professor of Archeology, University of Houston." She said as he dropped to the floor, leaning back against the wall. He looked up at her. "And who the hell are you?"

"Gabriel Van Helsing." He said as he struggled across to her. He was taller than she was she noticed as he worked on her right shackle. He needed a shave, too.

As her right arm came down and feeling returned, she bit her lip against the pins and needles and asked "No relation to Dr. Van Helsing I hope?" He glared at her as her left arm dropped and all her weight returned to her feet. She fell forward unable to support her own weight. He caught her in his arms and eased her down to sit on the ground. "

"No, no relation. Are you any relation to Pelagius Demolay?"

She looked up at him in shock. Most people don't even know who Pelagius Demolay was; much less ask if she is related. "Distantly."

"Shit"

She was looking at his chest. "We really need to bandage that." She said looking around the room for something to use. Other than the torch the room was bare. Just then there were noises outside the room.

The door opened and in walked her benefactor from earlier.

"Well, that took less time than I thought. You have learned a few things from these mortals, Gabriel." He said. He walked over and looked at the cuts on Gabriel's chest. "Minor wounds, they won't effect the outcome of the test; although I am surprised you didn't just heal them. Oh yes I FORGOT again, you can't do that anymore since you were cast out. I am grateful my master is not so….unforgiving. See not even a scar from your earlier trick." He opened his shirt. His skin was a dark burnt red, with out a mar.

Christine looked at the two men. Gabriel reached under his coat. "Sorry, old friend, but we had to disarm you; I have to admit I was impressed. I didn't know there were that many weapons for killing demons."

Mephistopheles looked at Christine sitting on the floor. "That can't be comfortable, my dear." And reached out a hand to her; she ignored it. Gabriel stepped between them.

"Leave her alone, Mephistopheles. This is between us."

"Oh, no Gabriel, she is very much an integral part of this, as you will see." Behind him the door opened again and two men wearing some sort of ceremonial robes walked in, followed by seven women carrying food and drink. Behind them came five more men carrying tables and chairs. The table was set up in the middle of the room with three chairs; the food and drink were placed on the table.

"Won't you both join me?" Meph asked, indicating the table.

"No" Gabriel said.

"No" Christine started to say, but found herself standing against her will and walking to the table and sitting down in a chair. Mephistopheles laughed.

"Humans are so amusing, aren't they, Gabriel. This one honestly thought she could disobey me." He sat in the chair opposite where Christine was sitting.

Gabriel walked over to the table and sat down. He looked at Christine who seemed to be in a drugged state, under the demon's control.

"That's better. Why don't you tell us about your research, Christine?" Meph asked as he unfolded a napkin and placed it on his lap. One of the five men who had carried in the table and chairs started to serve plates of roasted lamb, figs, dates, grapes, olives and fresh bread.

Christine fought hard against the compulsion, but heard herself chatting quite amiably about her research into the worship of Dona in this part of Greece, about looking for the ancient temple of Dona and Aphrodite where the mother and daughter were worshiped as one deity with fertility rites. About how she was hoping to prove that Dona was the same mother goddess as the Neolithic Venus figures and prove a connection to the ancient mother worship.

"Stop it." Gabriel hissed. "She isn't a toy for you to play with, Meph."

"No, you are right, she isn't"

Suddenly, Christine regained control over herself. She was holding an empty goblet in her hand. She didn't even remember drinking it.

The seven women suddenly grabbed her and dragged her from the room, singing and chanting ancient fertility songs.

Gabriel stood up to try to stop them but the men grabbed him and held him in place.

"No, Gabriel, we still need to talk, and the ladies are only going to make sure she has a nice hot bath and is quite comfortable. Well as comfortable as she can be under the circumstances."

"What have you done?"

"I found this temple several years ago, and inside was the most wonderful store of ancient scrolls and treasures, including a recipe for something called the 'Elixir of Life.' I recruited these kind people to start trying to recreate it, and have had some modest success. You see, our friend, Dr. Demolay was onto something. This is the home of an ancient fertility cult. Older than the Greek civilizations, and this recipe is supposed to create an elixir that creates life from the reluctant or unable." Meph smiled into his wine goblet. "Of course, my master was thrilled with the discovery. We finished the elixir this morning and are ready to test it. Who better to test it on than the woman who has spent most of her career looking for this place, and a fallen angel, forbidden by God to know a human woman? My master will be so pleased to have you in Hell; he is even saving you a special place."

Mephistopheles laughed as he vanished into a cloud of sulfurous smoke. His voice drifted out of the cloud. "One more thing I forgot to mention. The elixir is deadly, unless properly worked out of the body. My priests and priestesses will explain it all to you." His voice faded away.


	2. Water

Summary: Van Helsing, Mephostopheles, The Elixir of Life, and an archeologist; not at all what you think. The Temple of Aphrodite does not exist as depicted in this story but I am basing the Cult of Dona and Aphrodite on the area around Dodona, Greece, where Dona was worshiped along with Zeus and was reputed to be the mother of Aphrodite. The Dona or Donni figures have been found all along the Mediterranean Sea and up into Europe. The most famous is the Venus of Willendorf. I don't own Van Helsing, but boy do I wish I did. The others all live in my head unfortunately.

Drip. Drip. Drip…drip.

Christine lay back in the tub, the lavender and rose scented water relaxing her body as she finally felt warm. She looked over at the small pile of clothes the priestesses had removed from her. The bloodstained T-shirt and shorts were little better than rags now, and she hated the thought of putting them back on. The bronze tub she was lying in was a treasure in itself; a perfectly preserved piece of ancient history, and she was bathing in it. The vessels and tools the women had used to prepare the bath were all ancient, but the preservation was better than any museum she had ever seen. Her mind wondered as she looked around the room.

Suddenly she sat up, splashing water across the marble floor. There on the wall was a Doni, a mother figure. Carved into the wall and painted with bright paints, its large belly, breasts and hips highlighted by images of birth and death painted across the figure. She scrambled out of the tub to look at the figure. The priestesses grabbed her arms and tried to force her back into the tub.

"No, you don't understand I just want a closer look." She said, in English as she struggled against them. They lifted her up and gently placed her back into the tub.

"Relax." Said the one wearing a collar of beaten bronze, "You will see her in time."

Christine lay back as the women began to wash her hair. She couldn't take her eyes off the Doni. There right in front of her was proof. God, she wished she had her camera.

The women gently prodded her to get out of the tub. They wrapped her in a large white sheet to dry her, and then began to dress her in a long chiton. Her hair was wrapped with beaded strands and left to curl naturally down her back. The stood her in front of a large bronze mirror. She looked like one of the many statues she had uncovered at her recent dig site. She stood there in awe for a moment, and then the priestesses lead her along a path of rose petals on the ground, into another room.

The priests lead Gabriel into a room with a large bronze tub full of water. They began to tug and pull at his coat, trying to remove it. He struggled against them but the five servants held him down, and quickly removed all his clothing. They lifted him struggling into the warm water of the tub, and he hissed as the water hit the cuts on his chest.

"If you stop fighting this will be much easier on you as well as us." The priest with the heavy silver collar said in perfect English.

"Why should I believe you?" Gabriel said, as he sent one of the servants flying across the room.

"Because we have no intentions of hurting you. We need both of you to complete our ceremony. Please relax, enjoy the bath. When the ceremony is complete your clothes and weapons will be returned to you and you will be allowed to leave. Those are the Master's orders."

"Why? What ceremony?" Gabriel leaned back in the tub, whatever they had put in the water, his chest had stopped stinging.

"The Ceremony of Dona, it is the celebration of the union of Zeus and Dona, the conception of Aphrodite. It guarantees the fertility of these valleys, the oak grove where the priestesses interpret the words of Zeus, our women and our children to come." The priest stepped back to show him a carving of Zeus on the wall. "The great Father came to this land, found Dona here alone and weeping. They shared a goblet of wine, and she became enamored of him. They consummated their love, and Aphrodite was born."

"What do you need me for?" Gabriel asked. "Don't you people reenact this ceremony amongst yourselves?"

"Usually, yes." The priest said. "But every hundred years we need a true representative of the Gods to enact the ceremony for us for our continued fertility. The woman is infused with the spirit of the Dona by consuming the Elixir of Life. The man is either supernatural in origin or is also infused by the Elixir; but neither participant can be of our bloodlines."

"What, exactly, is this ritual?"

"The Dona will be ritually cleansed, dressed and prepared for the meeting with Zeus. When she is ready, you will be taken into the room where she is. We will sing welcome to the gods, she will be lead to the alter, you will be lead to her, you will share a goblet of wine and then will consummate the union of the gods."

"Consummate?" Gabriel asked, shocked.

"Yes, it is the conception of Aphrodite we celebrate, usually it is childless couples from nearby villages who participate in the ceremony, but once a century, as I said, we need someone more powerful."

"So you kidnap people and force them to enact this ritual?"

"The Master promised to ensure our ceremony, by providing a god, or at least as close as possible to one to play Zeus. He told us you are an Angel, created by God, cast out for defying him, acting on earth to redeem yourself in God's eyes. Is this not true?"

Gabriel stared at the man. "I don't know. I don't remember."

"The Master has assured us of your divinity that is all that matters to us."

"What happens if I refuse to participate?"

"The woman dies."

"What?"

"The Elixir of Life must create life, or it destroys the vessel into which it is poured." The priest looked at him. "If you do not participate in the ritual, she will die an agonizing death."

"I can't." Gabriel whispered. One thing Mephistopheles had said rang true, he was forbidden, if only by his vows to the church, to know a woman. He was a man of God, perhaps not a priest in the literal sense, but he had taken vows of chastity and celibacy as a part of his service to God.

"Then she will die. We have no other here who can perform the ceremony, and she only has six hours left." The priest signaled the servants to leave the room. They picked up his clothing, boots and coat on the way out. "We will leave you to your decision.

He sat there in the cooling tub. Leave it to a demon to come up with a way to torment him. If he didn't act, an innocent would die, if he did he would break his vows, and for all he knew, the demon was telling the truth, and the penalty could be even worse.

"Well, well. I see you are thinking this through. Not at all what I expected from you." The smell of sulfur permeated the room. "The Gabriel I knew always acted first and thought second. Of course that is why God would send you to do his dirty work; he didn't have to worry about you questioning orders; until you did." Mephistopheles stood at the foot of the tub. "We all laughed in Hell when you refused to obey, refused to kill that young girl. Who would have thought that such an innocent young girl would cause so many problems for God? But without her medicine wouldn't have advanced as far as it has now. Poor Marie. Poor Gabriel. She wasn't evil; you wouldn't kill her because she wasn't evil. And, you know what, you were right. But that is why you were the Left Hand of God, you didn't question, you obeyed."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to choose. No God telling you what to do, not your instincts; they won't help you in this. If you let her die, her death will be on your soul. YOU have the power to save her, not an angelic power but a human one. If you save her, you will be forsworn to the church, and disobey one of God's commands for the angels. Angels are not allowed to know the daughters of man. It was this temptation that caused many of my brethren to be where we are now. The temptation of a moment's pleasure can lead to an eternity of torment. Are you still and Angel, Gabriel? Are you still The Left Hand of God, or are you a man?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Gabriel stood up, spraying water across the marble floor. He grabbed a large white sheet lying near the tub and wrapped it around his waist. "What I do know is as soon as I get my weapons; I am hunting you down, and sending you back to Hell."

"I look forward to it, Gabriel. Of course I will be waiting for you to join us. Either way you choose, you will be completely cut off from God. Either you will kill an innocent woman, who's life is in your hands to save, or you will save her, and damn yourself." Meph handed Gabriel a simple short chiton. "Get dressed. Dona awaits her Zeus." And with a puff of yellow smoke he was gone.

Drip...drip…drip

This time it was oil dripping slowly from a cracked vessel. Christine looked around the room she was in. The priestesses danced and chanted in front of her. They had shackled her to a chair with chains of gold. Her head was fuzzy for some reason. She kept looking around the room at the carved figures on the wall. She knew they were important, but couldn't remember why.

Her skin tingled, and the fine silk of her chiton felt like raw hemp on her arms and body. She just wanted to take it off. Every nerve ending in her body felt like it was on fire. The priestesses would stop the dance and rub oil on her arms and legs; the musky scent was driving her insane. She wanted to ask them what was wrong, but somehow her mind couldn't get her body to talk.

She watched the hypnotic dance of the women as they watched the far door of the room. They seemed to be waiting for something, keeping the room in a fever pitch until whatever was supposed to come through that door did.

The small part of Christine's mind that wasn't tied up in whatever drug they had given her wanted to run. She was terrified.

The door cracked open, and a procession of priests began to enter the room. They wore gold masks, and white chitons. They joined the dance of the priestesses, chanting to Zeus and the women chanted to Dona. Suddenly everything stopped. The only sound was footsteps coming down the corridor toward the room. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.


	3. Fire

Summary: Van Helsing, Mephistopheles, The Elixir of Life, and an archeologist; not at all what you think. The Temple of Aphrodite does not exist as depicted in this story but I am basing the Cult of Dona and Aphrodite on the area around Dodona, Greece, where Dona was worshiped along with Zeus and was reputed to be the mother of Aphrodite. The Dona or Doni figures have been found all along the Mediterranean Sea and up into Europe. The most famous is the Venus of Willendorf. I don't own Van Helsing, but boy do I wish I did. The others all live in my head unfortunately.

Hishshh…drip…hishshh…drip

Christine heard each drop oil of flare as it hit the flame. The only other sound was the footsteps coming down the corridor. She was light headed from the drugs, and found it easier to concentrate on the drip of the oil.

Mephistopheles entered the room, and walked to the altar. Behind it, a large throne like chair sat on a dais. He sat down, and waited. He tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair, and each time he did the torches and braziers flared higher. The priests and priestesses started the dance again, as two bat winged demons closed the door.

The room took on a hellish, red glare as the flames flared higher with each tap of the demon's fingers. The room became warmer, and Christine's head began to swim even more. The dancers were hypnotic in their movements, as they became more and more frenzied. And still they waited as the flames flared.

Gabriel knelt in prayer on the wet marble. His duty was clear, he had to banish the demon and his minions back to hell. He prayed for the strength to fulfill his duty and for guidance in the other matter: and waited.

The demon's words kept playing through his mind. 'Either way you will kill an innocent.' The problem was she was a Demolay, condemned by the church for over 700 years as a heretic. The church had condemned all descendants of Demolay. If he acted today and saved her mortal life, it was only delaying the inevitable. If he allowed her to die, she would burn in hell, not because of what she had or had not done, but because of her blood. Did the demon know this, or was he unaware of the identity of the woman involved.

There was no way to save her immortal soul, not for Gabriel. If she went to Rome, and asked for a Pontifical blessing, freeing her from the sin of heresy committed by her ancestor, then she could be free. Free and innocent, but if she committed the acts the demon suggested, then she would face even greater damnation, even though she was not able to control her actions, the temptation and ruination of a sworn man of God. In order to save her soul, he had to desecrate both his body and hers; to break his vows, to be forsworn to the church. True, confession could absolve him of the sin, but the guilt would be with him as long as he lived, and he really did not know how long that would be.

'Are you still and Angel, Gabriel? Are you still The Left Hand of God, or are you a man?' The words flowed through his mind. How long had he lived, how many lifetimes had he seen? Carl had died at the age of 87; and he, Gabriel, had not aged a day. Was he being punished for disobeying God or was he, as the Order claimed, sent to do God's work on Earth? Was he an Angel? Was that why he seemed to keep going, even though the pain was great; no matter how damaged he became, he somehow survived? Would God allow one of his Angels to be tormented this way, or had he been cast out, cast from Grace for some sin?

Doubts, all he seemed to be able to find were doubts. Mephistopheles had done his job well, deal maker and trickster that he was. Gabriel was at a loss. His ears were full of the roar of the fires of Hell, it seemed no matter which way he turned, and they surrounded him. His choices all lead deep into their flames, with no safe path through the fire.

He knelt, and prayed, and waited, waited to find the right choice, the one that would navigate the flames and come out, unscathed on the other side. He calmed his mind, blocked out the words of the demon, the face of the woman whose life was in his hands, and simply prayed for guidance. And it came. He knew what he had to do.

He stood the hem of his chiton damp from the floor.

"Anna, forgive me." He said as he walked out the door and into the long corridor. Demonic figures lined the walls, waiting for him. Between them were carvings and statues of couples engaged in erotic acts. Every once in a while, one of the primal carved mother figures, Doni she had called them, stood out. And the demons laughed.

Drip…hishsh….drip

Christine watched as the door slowly opened. The man who stepped into the room bore little resemblance to the man in her cell; if it wasn't for the long gashes across his half exposed chest she wouldn't have recognized him. He looked like a Greek god, all sculpted muscle and male perfection. Her body seemed to burn looking at him. It truly was Zeus walking in that door, and she longed to be possessed by him. He walked to the altar, ignoring her completely.

"What have you chosen, Gabriel? Will you watch this poor pitiful creature die, writhing in torment, or will you save her?" Mephistopheles laughed.

Gabriel looked down at his feet, his weapons and clothing lay in a pile at the base of the altar. He grabbed one of the bolts, and looked at Meph.

"You are the deal maker, how is this for a deal. If I can figure out a way out of this, without condemning myself to Hell, you and your minions will leave the mortal world, and be banished for one hundred years."

"Hrmmm. If you can find a way out of this….without condemning yourself….My master is so looking forward to having you at his side. And I am so looking forward to having you as a brother in arms. With you as a minion of Hell, we will be unstoppable. So, Yes, I agree to the deal. If you can save the girl, and yourself, without committing a sin against God, then I will take my minions and go, for one hundred years I will leave this mortal realm alone, but if not, your soul is ours, and hers too."

Gabriel ignored him, and turned and grabed the head priest by the arm. He ripped back the robes to reveal a crucifix hanging underneath. The demon just smiled. His corruption ran that deep.

"Are you a priest of God as well, old man?" Gabriel demanded.

"Yes." The priest answered.

"Good."

He dragged the priest over to where Christine was sitting.

"Then we will do this thing right. I will not know in fornication any woman; it is against my vows to the church. I may not engage in acts of fornication, and will remain chaste to my vows." Gabriel stated clearly. Mephistopheles and his demonic minions laughed.

Gabriel twisted the head off the bolt and handed the priest the vile of holy water inside.

"Baptize her."

"What?"

"Do IT."

The priest took the vile and poured it into his hand; he sprinkled it on Christine's head saying "I baptize thee Catherine Demolay in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."

"That won't help you, Gabriel. She is still a mortal woman." Mephistopheles laughed.

Gabriel leaned into the priest and whispered something.

The priest looked at Gabriel in confusion.

"Just do it." Gabriel shouted

"Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to each other in marriage?" the priest asked quietly. "Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives? Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church."

"I will." Gabriel stated.

He shook Christine, "you have to answer."

"I will." She stated groggily.

"Do either of you know of any lawful impediment that would prevent you from marrying?"

"No."

"No."

"Since it is your intention to enter into this marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."

Gabriel took Christine's right hand in his.

"I, Gabriel, take you, Christine, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

Christine looked at this being standing next to her, holding her hand. If he wanted her to say these words she would. "I, Christine, take you, Gabriel, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Amen."

Gabriel took a ring off his finger; it was a large black signet with a red dragon emblem, and handed it to the priest.

"May the Lord bless this ring which you give as the sign of your love and fidelity. Amen." 

Gabriel took the ring and slipped it first on her thumb, then forefinger, then middle finger, and finally on her ring finger saying "With this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen."

Mephistopheles laughed. "You think this will help you, ceremonies without basis?"

Gabriel looked at the demon. "Ahh, but your priest here is not defrocked; therefore it is still a binding ceremony. It doesn't have to be legal, civilly to be legal to God. And what occurs between man and wife cannot be considered fornication, even in the eyes of the church."

"But you are still forbidden, as and Angel, to know a mortal woman." Meph laughed.

"No, only to fornicate with one. Marriage was never mentioned."

Gabriel lifted Christine's limp form in his arms and carried her to the altar. He lay her down on the marble, warmed by the demon's fire. Her mind was clouded. All she knew was this god was touching her, and where he touched his hands cooled the fire in her blood.

"Be gone, foul demon of Hell." Gabriel said as he lay her down. 

"Of course, you would like a little privacy. I completely understand." The victorious smile was still on the demon's lips. Christine tried to concentrate on what was happening. The voices seemed to be coming from a long way off.

"She is my wife, in the eyes of God, Demon. I will save her."

"So you chose to live your life on earth with a woman you do not love, cannot love, just to save her life. What would your precious Anna think of that? Did you love her so little?"

"Anna is dead. Christine is alive, and will stay that way. She has been baptized into the holy church, and given the sacrament of matrimony. As for love, there are many little loves in one's life, perhaps this will start that way and grow, I don't know. All I do know is the love of God guided me to this decision, and that is where I stand."

Christine tried to sit up, to protest, but the drug overcame her and she passed out.

"Well you had better hurry, or your little ceremony will have been in vain." The demon laughed, as he and his minions puffed out of sight. "This isn't over, Van Helsing. This isn't over by a long shot.

Gabriel turned to the mortals in the room but they had already scurried for the door, sliding it shut as the last one left. He was alone with his unconscious wife, and still had a duty to perform.


	4. Air

Summary: Van Helsing, Mephistopheles, The Elixir of Life, and an archeologist; not at all what you think. The Temple of Aphrodite does not exist as depicted in this story but I am basing the Cult of Dona and Aphrodite on the area around Dodona, Greece, where Dona was worshiped along with Zeus and was reputed to be the mother of Aphrodite. The Dona or Doni figures have been found all along the Mediterranean Sea and up into Europe. The most famous is the Venus of Willendorf. I don't own Van Helsing, but boy do I wish I did. The others all live in my head unfortunately.

Silence.

Christine listened, her eyes closed. There were no sounds in the room. She felt sore, her body ached from head to toe, and she was laying on a hard surface. There was a cool breeze in the room, which drifted across her naked legs, causing her to start, and her eyes to open.

There, above her, was the largest Doni she had ever seen, carefully carved, intricate in detail, the braids of her hair carved to resemble human figures, twisted together with animals, across her belly was carved primal views of human and animal figures in various stages of birth, nursing, and death. At her feet, a male figure reclined, relaxed, carved much later than the original, a figure of Zeus.

She sat up slowly, in awe of what was above her. Suddenly she heard a rustling noise below her. She turned her head slowly, not wanting to look away from the tableau carved in stone over her. It was him. His dark hair hanging to his shoulders, the white chiton draped half across his chest, coming just to mid thigh. He looked like an Adonis, no a Zeus.

"What the hell happened?" She asked.

"What do you remember?"

"I was taking a nice bath, and then the women dressed me in some Hellenistic style dress and lead me into this room with an altar and these throne like chairs. They made me sit in one, and then things started getting fuzzy." She looked at him, his golden eyes piercing hers.

"And then?"

"It is all fuzzy, I vaguely remember someone throwing water on my head, and something about having to repeat something, and then…nothing."

"The demon has done his work well; the high priest of this pagan cult is also a priest of the church. What was done was to protect your immortal soul, as well as my own." He held out a hand to her. She looked around the room and realized she was sitting on the altar. She took his hand and he helped her down.

There at the base of the altar was her backpack, and hopefully her camera. She wanted to get pictures of this room. She had to get a hold of her superiors at the university and try to arrange a dig, to bring this place to light. She was rummaging through the bag when she noticed the large ring on her left hand.

"What the hell is this?"

"Your wedding ring."

"My WHAT?!"

He stood there, waiting, wondering how she was going to react. He didn't know anything about this woman, other than that she had been in danger, and he had saved her. He knew her name, her family history, but nothing about the woman in front of him. Did she have a temper, how was she going to react to being married, while drugged?

"Tell me you didn't just say wedding ring." She said calmly

"I did."

She closed her eyes, and began to count. Wedding ring, who the hell was she married to, gods help her she hoped it wasn't this pompous ass. Yea he LOOKED like a god, but he was definitely short on personality; demanding, commanding, arrogant, and acting like she owed him a favor.

"Just who the hell am I married to?" She asked.

"Me." He stated simply.

"Oh that is just great, when the hell did this happen, while I was drugged out of my mind? Just what the hell was everyone thinking? Did ANYBODY think that by being drugged my consent was not legal?" She had actually backed him into the wall, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Whose idea was this anyway, yours?" When he nodded, she started pounding on his chest with both fists. "YOU lousy stinking son of a bitch; I don't suppose this farce was CONSUMATED…?" He nodded again. Then she got really mad.

Gabriel watched the virago giving him hell. He had thought fighting banshees was bad. This woman put them to shame. She had a voice as loud, and her language was creative and colorful to say the least. Carl could definitely have learned a few lessons in cursing from her. Suddenly he couldn't take it any more. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"Enough." He looked at her angry face, beautiful angry face, and kissed her. Not the smartest of moves, he thought when she bit down hard on his lip, but at least she had stopped yelling.

"If you will calm down, I will explain." He said as she struggled against him.

"There isn't ANY explanation that will justify this. You drugged me, married me, and then raped me, and now you want to explain?" He spun her around until she was backed against the wall, placed his arm across her throat, and said "You can listen or not, but I am going to explain."

He pressed on her windpipe until she nodded.

"You were given a drug, something called the Elixir of Life. According to those who prepared it and gave you the damned thing, it is a deadly poison unless the antidote is administered within 8 hours of being given the potion. The antidote is sexual intercourse. I don't know how the hell it works." He stepped away from her, expecting her to attack him.

"The Elixir of Life; that story is just a myth. If it existed at all, it was supposed to be made out of plants that are extinct. It was created to help childless couples to conceive, that is why it was called the Elixir of Life. I have never heard of it being used in conjunction with a Doni cult, or even Aphrodite." She pushed past him, and knelt at the altar, pulling a notebook out of her pack. She flipped through the book, pausing every once in a while to read over a note.

"Ahh, here it is, 'The Elixir of Life was created by the priestesses of Hera to help in the conception of children for those who had none. According to Herodotus, the Elixir helped to bring the woman's humors in line with her husband's so that they could combine to create a child in her womb. It also created a strong eros which caused the woman to desire her husband, thus guaranteeing the conception of a child.'"

She continued to read, for a few moments. "Nothing about it being deadly if not consummated."

"Not deadly…Damn you Mephistopheles." Gabriel walked to the altar and began grabbing his gear.

"You might want to get dressed." She said looking up at him. "You aren't wearing a thing under that chiton." He grabbed the pile of clothing and stepped behind the altar. "You might consider that as well." He said.

"Two steps ahead of you." She said. She stepped around the back of the altar just as he was fastening his leather pants. "I can't say those are much better than what you were wearing." He glared at her as he pulled the cut sweater over his head. She was standing there in a T shirt and loose fitting jeans. He shrugged into his heavy coat and began sorting through the pile of weapons at his feet.

"Not slow enough, not strong enough…." He was muttering as he put items in his pockets and slung the crossbow over his shoulder.

"So in other words, you married me, without my informed consent, and then raped me, just to save my life. I am not sure if I should be flattered or insulted."

"Technically, you consented; even if you were drugged you gave the proper responses to the priest. And since we were married, it is not technically rape according to the church even if you were unconscious. AND YES, DAMN IT, I did it to save your life, and soul I might add."

"What exactly does my soul have to do with this?" Christine leaned back on the marble altar, watching him as he sorted things out. The crossbow kept slipping down his arm, hampering his movements as he tried to get everything in the proper pockets and holders.

"Will you give me that thing, before you hurt yourself?" She said as she took the crossbow from him.

He looked up at her confused. She had been furious just seconds before, and now she was smiling at him, helping him. Her comments about rape had hit him hard. No matter how he looked back on it, they had a ring of truth.

"Both of our souls are on the line. The demon set things up so that no matter what I did, both of us were damned to hell. Technically, by marrying you first, it negated most of what would have damned us. According to the church, what happens between a man and wife is sacred." He reached for his crossbow and she handed it to him.

"Now, if you don't mind, stay here while I send that damned demon back to hell."

"Ohhhh no…This I have to see." Damn but the woman was confusing.

"When we are finished here we can go to Rome, seek a pontifical annulment of the marriage, since it is not registered in a civil court, all we will need is a blessing from the Pope to end it."

"I just have one question. I am not Catholic, how the hell did you manage to take care of that issue?"

"I had the priest baptize you first."

"WHAT?"

"You are technically a baptized Catholic now."

"Oh, GREAT." She followed him down the corridor. "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes. While we are in Rome, and probably while you are still my wife, you need to seek a Pontifical Blessing to absolve you of heresy, since you are a Demolay; otherwise, you will still end up in hell."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"The entire Demolay family was condemned by the church. You cannot be absolved of the sins of the Demolay family without a Pontifical Blessing."

"And just how the hell am I supposed to get that. I don't suppose you have the ear of the Pope or anything?"

He turned around and put a hand over her mouth. "Can we discuss this later? I am trying to kill a demon here."

She nodded, and followed him down the corridor. They passed two open doors, both leading to rooms with large bronze tubs in the center of the floor. Past the rooms, the corridor lead into darkness.

Gabriel signaled Christine to say where she was while he crept further down the corridor. Of course she didn't do it and followed right behind him.

Voices started to float on the air toward them.

"…ment was a success? The drug worked as described?"

"Yes, my friend. A complete success; here is your sample to examine in the lab, as promised. I look forward to continued business with you."

"As long as this is viable, I don't care where my soul ends up. This will make me rich beyond my wildest dreams." Footsteps started toward Gabriel and Christine. Gabriel pushed her behind him, deeper into the shadows. The man walked by, briefcase in hand. Gabriel reached out and pulled him into the shadow. Christine heard a sickening crunching sound and the man dropped to the ground.

Suddenly, the corridor glowed red. The demon was standing in front of them.

"Ah, the happy couple, at last. Thank you, Gabriel. You saved me some time."

"I wasn't going to let him leave here; I could sense the evil in him. That drug will never see the light of day."

"Such noble sentiments, from an Angel condemned to Hell." Mephistopheles laughed. "You see, the bride was not able to truly consent. So not only did you, as you put it, fornicate with a woman, but raped her as well."

"Wait a second." Christine stepped out from behind Gabriel. "The only thing condemning him at this point is the fact I was drugged." She looked at the demon, who smiled and nodded. "I can fix this."

"I, Christine Demolay, being of sound mind and body, agree and consent to be your wife, Gabriel Van Helsing, from this day forward and including last night."

"You are consenting to your own rape?"

"It isn't rape if I consent, dumb ass."

"You win for now, Gabriel." Mephistopheles and his minions vanished in a puff of smoke. "But remember the Elixir is to create life. I wouldn't count on an annulment from the Pope, if I were you. He usually doesn't grant one if the bride is pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Gabriel and Christine looked at each other in shock.

"Ahhh…Hell." Christine said.

"Well, there goes the annulment." He looked down at the woman he had tied himself to, "Looks like you are stuck with me."

"Same here bud. It could be worse, you could look like Hephestus."

The look he gave her started her giggling. They started walking down the deserted corridor, silence all around them.

"Gabriel there is one thing I don't understand. Why did he just leave like that?"

"I made a deal with him. If I could find a way around his trap without condemning either of us, he would leave the mortal realm for one hundred years."

Suddenly the ground trembled.

"Let's get out of here."

They ran down the corridor until Gabriel saw familiar statues lining the way. He grabbed Christine's hand and dragged her toward the cave entrance; behind them the sounds of collapsing tunnels and billows of dust on the air pushed them toward the light.

They ran out of the mouth of the cave, just as the cave collapsed. Christine screamed in frustration.

"Ten years worth of work and all my proof just collapsed behind me."

"Well, at least you are alive."

She looked over at Gabriel, laying on the ground looking at her. "Do you always look at the bright side?"

He smiled. "Yes, ever since a young woman told me there was a brighter side of death, I have tried to find it."

"Ohhhh, gods, I am married to an optimist." She flung her hands at the sky. "An optimist monster hunter and murderer and possible Angel; could this get any better?"

"Gods?" Gabriel looked at her.

"Gabriel, I hate to tell you this, but I am not just an archeologist, I am also a witch."

Gabriel stared at her in shock. He could hear the sound of the demon's laughter ringing in his ears.


End file.
